A powerful call to end American gun violence from celebrated poets and those most impactedFocused intensively on the crisis of gun violence in America, this volume brings together poems by dozens of our best-known poets, including Billy Collins, Patricia Smith, Natalie Diaz, Ocean Vuong, Danez Smith, Brenda Hillman, Natasha Threthewey, Robert Hass, Naomi Shihab Nye, Juan Felipe Herrera, Mark Doty, Rita Dove, and Yusef Komunyakaa.Each poem is followed by a response from a gun violence prevention activist, political figure, survivor, or concerned individual, including Nobel Peace Prize laureate Jody Williams; Senator Christopher Murphy; Moms Demand Action founder Shannon Watts; survivors of the Columbine, Sandy Hook, Charleston Emmanuel AME, and Virginia Tech shootings; and Samaria Rice, mother of Tamir, and Lucy McBath, mother of Jordan Davis.The result is a stunning collection of poems and prose that speaks directly to the heart and a persuasive and moving testament to the urgent need for gun control.

ForewordCongresswoman Gabrielle Giffordsand Captain Mark KellyIntroduction: The Velocity of LanguageColum McCannNICK ARNOLDJordanResponse from Lucy McBathJIMMY SANTIAGO BACAMorning ShootingResponse from Antonius WiriadjajaAZIZA BARNESI Could Ask, But I Think They Use TweezersResponse from Judi RichardsonREGINALD DWAYNE BETTSWhen I Think of Tamir Rice While DrivingResponse from Samaria RiceRICHARD BLANCOOne Pulse—One PoemResponse from Ladd EverittTARA BRAYHow My Mother DiedResponse from Dennis HeniganJERICHO BROWNBullet PointsResponse from Michael SkolnikBRIAN CLEMENTS22Response from Po Kim MurrayBILLY COLLINSBoy Shooting at a StatueResponse from Nicole HockleyKYLE DARGANNatural CausesResponse from Daniel WebsterJOEL DIAS-PORTERWednesday PoemResponse from Kiki LeybaNATALIE DIAZCatching CopperResponse from Rev. Henry BrownMARK DOTYIn Two SecondsResponse from Pastor Michael McBrideRITA DOVEMeditation at Fifty Yards, Moving TargetResponse from Marie DelusCORNELIUS EADYGun PoemResponse from Ronnie MosleyMARTÍN ESPADAHeal the Cracks in the Bell of the WorldResponse from David and Francine WheelerTARFIA FAIZULLAHAubade with Lemon and SageResponse from Sharbari AhmedJAMESON FITZPATRICKA Poem for PulseResponse from Kevin HertzogNICK FLYNNMy Mother Contemplating Her GunResponse from Ashlyn MeltonREBECCA MORGAN FRANKGunning for ItResponse from Lt. Brian ThiemROSS GAYThe Bullet, in Its HungerResponse from Dr. William V. Begg IIIVANESSA GERMAN[11 Gunshots]Response from Camiella WilliamsROBERT HASSDancingResponse from Nobel Peace Prize Laureate Jody WilliamsJUAN FELIPE HERRERAPoem by PoemResponse from Rev. Sharon RisherBOB HICOKThrowing a Life LineResponse from Colin GoddardBRENDA HILLMANThe Family Sells the Family GunResponse from Jennifer MasciaJANE HIRSHFIELDThose Who Cannot ActResponse from US Senator Chris Murphy, ConnecticutLEANNE HOWGatorlandResponse from Amanda GaileyMAJOR JACKSONFergusonResponse from Amber GoodwinMICHAEL KLEINThe Talking DayResponse from Monte FrankYUSEF KOMUNYAKAAShotgunsResponse from DeAndra YatesDANA LEVINInstructions for StoppingResponse from Kate RantaADA LIMÓNThe LeashResponse from Caren TevesDEBRA MARQUARTKablooey is the Sound You’ll HearResponse from Jacob and Darchel MohlerJAMAAL MAYThe Gun JokeResponse from Dan GrossJILL MCDONOUGHAfraidResponse from Kim Parker RussellWAYNE MILLERBallad (American, 21st Century)Response from Lee KeylockCAROL MUSKE-DUKESGun Control: A TriptychResponse from Donna Dees-ThomasesJACK MYERSIn the DarkResponse from Khary PenebakerNAOMI SHIHAB NYETo Jamyla Bolden of Ferguson, MissouriResponse from Missouri State Rep. Stacey NewmanMATTHEW OLZMANNLetter Beginning with Two Lines by Czesław MiłoszResponse from Shannon WattsMEGHAN PRIVITELLO[When a child hears gunshots]Response from Abbey ClementsDEAN RADERSelf-Portrait in Charleston, OrlandoResponse from Joe QuintROGER REEVESMaggot TherapyResponse from Yvonne CrassoLIZ ROSENBERGThe First Child Martyr at Illinois ElementaryResponse from Patricia MaischDANEZ SMITHthe bullet was a girlResponse from Rev. Michael L. PflegerPATRICIA SMITHUndertakerResponse from Pamela BosleyCHRISTOPHER SOTOAll the Dead Boys Look Like MeResponse from John GrauwilerTESS TAYLORMemory with Handgun and TetherballResponse from Renan SalgadoALEXANDRA TEAGUERepeaterResponse from Iran NazarioNATASHA TRETHEWEYArticulationResponse from Eddie WeingartOCEAN VUONGAlways & ForeverResponse from Clai Lasher-SommersAFAA MICHAEL WEAVERSomething It’s Taken Thirty Years to WriteResponse from Dr. Leana S. WenROBERT WRIGLEYKalashnikov CandelabrumResponse from Jessica Pollack MindichOur GratitudeCreditsContributors